Benjamin Ruggiero

Benjamin "Lefty Guns" Ruggiero (19 April 1926-24 November 1994) was a soldier in the Bonanno crime family. He was well known for his friendship and mentorship of FBI undercover agent Joseph D. Pistone, and he was convicted of various crimes in 1982, dying in prison. Ruggiero murdered around 26 people during his career.

Biography
Benjamin Ruggiero was born in Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan, New York City on 19 April 1926. Ruggiero joined the Bonanno crime family at a young age, becoming a member of Michael Sabella's street crew and becoming a successful bookmaker, extortionist, and loan shark. Ruggiero became good friends with family boss Philip Rastelli and fellow soldier Anthony Mirra, and he became the part-owner of a fishery in the Fulton Fish Market of Manhattan, the owner of a Little Italy social club, and a collector of tropical fish and a lion cub. Ruggiero befriended the undercover FBI agent Joseph D. Pistone, who used the alias "Donnie Brasco" while infiltrating the Mafia, and the two became members of Dominick Napolitano's crew after Al Indelicato rebelled against the family leadership following Carmine Galante's murder in 1979. Ruggiero became a gambling addict, and he had to repay all of his debts to Nicholas Marangello before he could be "made". In August 1981, the FBI visited Ruggiero's apartment and informed him that Pistone was an FBI agent, and the Bonanno leadership decided to whack all men responsible for bringing Pistone into the family. Mirra and Napolitano were whacked, but Ruggiero was arrested before he could be killed. He refused to talk to the FBI, leading to the Mafia cancelling its hit on him. In 1992, he was released from prison after 11 years after falling ill with cancer, and he died two years later.